Smoke'n Dudes BBQ Blog

Stove top smokers like the one pictured have been gaining popularity due to their use on shows like Iron Chef America. They are very effective and easy to use, but you don’t necessarily have to spend money on a device with only one function.

Here’s how to make one yourself with items you probably already own:

1. Select a pan.
   Stove-top smokers can be made from nearly any type of kitchen pan and don’t require an expensive or high-quality purchase. But keep in mind that the pan you choose may become charred during the smoking process, so you’ll probably want to line it with tin foil. Dutch Ovens, Broiler pans, deep metal baking pans and roasting pans work best, but you can choose nearly any pan that fits your needs. Tight-fitting, metal lids are preferable, but not necessary.
2. Insert a food rack.
   The smoking process requires that the food be suspended above the heat source and wood chips, which will necessitate the addition of a food rack. If your broiler or roasting pan came with a rack, this is an easy solution. If not, a metal baking or cooling rack can be used as well. Select one that fits easily inside your pan and will raise the food an inch or two above the bottom of the pan. If you’re using an aluminum pan, metal skewers can be pushed through the sides to create a rack for your food. A second aluminum pan with holes in the bottom also can be placed inside the first pan for the same effect.
3. Cover the smoker.
   If your pan came with a lid, it can be used as a top for your smoker. Your smoker pan also can be covered with tin foil, which can be thrown away when you’re finished. Other possible choices are aluminum pizza pans or a metal cookie sheet.
4. Set up the smoker.
   To use the smoker, place a few ounces of well-soaked wood chips or sawdust in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and place it over a stove-top burner set to low heat. Allow 10-15 minutes for the pan to get good and smokey. Place the metal rack in the pan and lay your food evenly on the rack. Avoid removing the lid during the cooking process because this will cause the loss of smoke and heat.

Tips

• Don’t be alarmed if your smoke detectors go off; run your exhaust fan to curtail this.
• Don’t forget to wet the wood so that it smokes instead of just burning up.
• Smoking in small batches like this allows for an inexpensive way to experiment with different wood flavors.

Since the early 90s Guy Davis has been updating the traditional blues for a modern audience.

Though raised in New York City, Davis was frequently regaled with stories of Southern country life as a child, and over time became so enamored of the music of Blind Willie McTell, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, and others that he taught himself guitar. He learned his distinctive fingerpicking style from a 9-fingered guitarist he met on a train in Boston.

He has produced nine of the most acclaimed blues albums of this era since 1993 including Chocolate to the Bone and Butt Naked Free.

Guy works tirelessly doing classroom workshops and assembly programs across the country to bring music education (specifically the Blues) to Elementary, High School and College students. He also appears frequently on children’s programs such as Jack’s Big Music Show bringing the blues to young kids.

There are 13 Guy Davis tracks on the playlist at Smoke’n Dudes:

Ain’t No Bluesman
Chocolate Man
Come on Sally Hitch a Ride
Good Liquor
Honeydew Melon Rag
Loneliest Road That I Know
Maggie Campbell Blues
Meet Me Where The River Turns
Po’ Boy, Great Long Ways From Home
Saturday Blues
Step It Up And Go
Sugarbelle Blue
Waiting on the Cards To Fall